Let us rethink town planning
EDITOR — President Mugabe is very right about the need for a change in the Local Government policies. It is incredibly ridiculous for cities and towns to continue to parcel out land.
Land is a finite resource and a very precious one. You cannot create more land so we must utilise it to the best of our ability. Right now the situation is untenable where people just want to occupy land and build homes haphazardly.
Where are the town planners and why hasn’t the Local Government ministry set out a plan for the way in which town and cities should develop? It seems that as soon as the need for housing arises the option is to parcel out stands to people. As the President mentioned, we cannot continue to expand outwards, what we can do is build upwards. There is so much space in the sky that can be taken advantage of.
It is also better in terms of servicing the land, building road networks, planning for the population in terms of schools, entertainment facilities, hospitals and security.
It is clear that the President is thinking about the future and the welfare of the State. Those who are responsible for carrying out these plans leave a lot to be desired. I hope this is a wake up call to them to get their act right so that people can have access to decent accommodation but also maximise on the limited space that we have. Jacob Kutenda, Harare RESPONSE to “Moyo attacks, VP-lauds Sekeramayi”. The same Professor Jonathan Moyo denigrated the then Zanu-PF National Chairman the late Cde John Nkomo and challenged his seniority after the Tsholotsho debacle. Today the same John Nkomo is a luminary? — JR
RESPONSE to “Government-bans-goldenhandshakes.” Let people negotiate their conditions of entry and exit at engagement. If conditions improve, let it be understood that there could be room for reasonable concessions, provided the new benefits are not extortionate — Gary
RESPONSE to “Moyo-attacks, VP lauds Sekeramayi”. During our struggle for freedom from colonial rule, political parties that spearheaded our struggle had structures. The unity that was crafted between Zapu and Zanu to form Zanu-PF brought together leaders. The issue of seniority in Zanu-PF today can either be based on: 1) historical party’s structures before Unity Accord 2); post Unity Accord party structure. The current Zanu-PF party structure is where the debate is alive and kicking! Seniority becomes now confused and debatable among government elected positions, party elected positions and party appointed positions. Which seniority then? Historical? Current elected in the party? Current appointed in the government? Current appointed in the party? I am a current cell member in Zanu-PF and therefore junior to some who are not even liberation heroes like me. — Prof Cde Mzvinavhu.